Parthiva Shivalinga Puja

What it is

Parthiva means earthly, Shivlinga is the form in which Shiva is worshipped, and puja is worship, so the name describes the worship of a Shivalinga shaped from soil, sand or mud. The tradition belongs to Mithila, a region of the Indian subcontinent that takes in parts of northern India and Nepal. A devotee may keep it alone at home, or join a public ceremony where many people gather. In Mithila, Maithil Brahmins still worship Parthiva Shivalingas at home, and large public grounds there host grand ceremonies each year.

Origins and texts

The tradition is traced to the Shiva Purana. In that text sages ask Suta about the greatness of these lingas, and he answers that the Parthiva Shivalinga is the finest of Shiva's eight cosmic bodies. He adds that Brahmins, Vishnu, Prajapati and other sages reached what they desired through this worship, and that devatas, asuras, gandharvas and many people gained greatness by it. The text calls it the most auspicious form of Shiva to worship in Kali Yuga, and says the sage Mandapa, son of Kushmanda, began it then.

Making and worship

The Shiva Purana says to take the mud from a river or pond held holy. In Mithila the lingas are shaped very thin and small. A hundred of them are arranged in a ten by ten square, and that square counts as one unit. It is worshipped once, then given back to the soil of the earth. When many are to be worshipped in one day, ten units are placed together. The steps for making them are set out in Shaiva Sarvasvasara, written by the Maithil poet Vidyapati.

Stories from the epics

The Mahatmya of the Kedareshwara and Bhimashankara Jyotirlingas tells of Nara and Narayana, the two avatars of Vishnu, who made Parthiva Shivalingas each day while they did tapasya, or austerities, at Badarikashrama. The Ramayana has another story. Before he fought Ravana, king of Lanka, Rama made a Shivalinga from the sand on the ocean bank at Rameshwaram and worshipped Shiva there, hoping for blessing and for victory.

Public gatherings today

Large public ceremonies have become a feature of the region. The first was held at Barabigha ground in Janakpur in 2017, where devotees are said to have made and worshipped about 3 crore 65 lakh lingas. In 2022 a second took place at Saurath Sabha Gachhi, near Madhubani, with about 3 crore 51 lakh. A third was held at Mukteshwar Sthan Mandir in Devahar village, Madhubani district, on 5 November 2023. In December of that year, Uchchaith village near Benipatti saw about 4 crore 51 lakh. On Akshay Navami, 10 November 2024, Koriyahi village in Sitamarhi district held about 2 crore 91 lakh, with Brahmins from 101 villages of Madhubani, Darbhanga and Sitamarhi and from the Mithila region of Nepal taking part.

How Parthiva Shivalinga Puja is kept

A devotee takes soil, sand or mud, and the Shiva Purana says it should come from a holy river or pond. The lingas are shaped thin and small, and a hundred are arranged in a ten by ten square. That square is worshipped once. Afterwards the lingas go back into the earth. Ten such squares can be set out together when many are to be worshipped in one day. At home, the worship stays with the family. At public ceremonies, Brahmins from many villages make the lingas and lead large groups of devotees in worship.

When and where

There is no single fixed date. Household worship goes on through the year, and the great public ceremonies are held on an auspicious day, usually once a year. The recorded gatherings fell on 5 November 2023, in December 2023, and on Akshay Navami, 10 November 2024.

Mithila is the home of the practice, and it is strongest there. The public ceremonies described are in Janakpur in Nepal and in Madhubani, Sitamarhi and other districts of northern India. The Rama story places a further observance at Rameshwaram. The tradition is followed less in other parts of the subcontinent.

What Parthiva Shivalinga Puja means

For those who keep it, the mud linga holds Shiva in a form taken from the earth itself. The Shiva Purana calls the Parthiva Shivalinga the best of Shiva's eight cosmic bodies, and the most auspicious way to worship him in Kali Yuga, the present age. The stories say worshippers received what they sought: sages and gods gained greatness, and Rama hoped for blessing before a battle. Each linga is worshipped once and then given back to the soil, so nothing is kept.

Questions people ask about Parthiva Shivalinga Puja

See also

Chota Char DhamFour Himalayan shrines in Uttarakhand, visited in one season each yearKailash Mansarovar YatraA high-altitude pilgrimage to Mount Kailash and Lake Manasarovar in TibetSatsangSitting in the company of truth, to hear, sing and meditate in northern IndiaTheyyamA sacred ritual dance and divine invocation from North Malabar in India

Good reading and sources

• Parthiva Shivalinga Puja on WikipediaEncyclopedia
• Wikidata recordOpen data

It may contain mistakes. Traditions differ from one family, village and community to the next, and the people who keep them know them best. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-10-14.